LAMB & SPINACH CURRY     back.jpg (2643 bytes)

1 kg boneless lamb (leg or shoulder) 1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons ghee 2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed 750 g (one bunch) fresh spinach
2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 cardamom pods, bruised 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground coriander I tablespoon poppy seeds, ground
1 green chilli, seeded & chopped ¼ cup plain yoghurt
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds, ground salt to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric

Trim meat of fat and cut into large cubes. heat ghee in a large, heavy saucepan and fry garlic for 2 minutes. Add ginger, bruised cardamoms, coriander, chilli and mustard seeds and fry on a moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add lamb, sprinkle on the turmeric and stir to coat meat thoroughly with the spice mixture. Cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Pour over ½ cup of water, cover pot and cook slowly for 20 minutes. Add remaining water and salt and continue to cook, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover pot and cook for a further ½ hour to reduce slightly. 

meanwhile, wash spinach thoroughly in several changes of water, discard stems, chop roughly and put into a large pot with nutmeg, sugar, poppy seeds and yoghurt. Heat and stir until yoghurt becomes liquid and cook covered for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste and then puree spinach in a food processor.

Add to the lamb and simmer uncovered for a further 30 minutes or until curry is thick, dark and the lamb is tender.